Conveyer



Sept. 4, 1945.

D. KNIES CONVEYER/ Filed Aug. 9, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR, DANIELKN: Es,

I ATT'Y Sept. 4, 1945.

' D. KNIES CONYEYER Filed Aug. 9', 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 POSITION 'B"POSFTION 7A POSITIOP! "c" INVENTOR; DANIEL Krmzs,

I Sept. 4, 1945. o. KNIES 7 2,384,179

' CONVEY-ER Filed Aug. 9, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 v INVENTOR;

DANIEL Khmss, BY

I HTT'Y Patented Sept. 4, 1945 VCONVEYER I DanielKnies, Bexley, Ohio,assignor to The Jeffrey Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Ohio .Application August 9, 1944, Serial No. 548,674

10 Claims; (01. 21 4 1) This invention relates aiconveyeror trans-. ferdevice particularlyada'pte'd to transfer ob- Jects such as cans of:soup, vegetablesfor objects generally from'a discharge or transferstation to ,a receiving station' or receptacle.

n Object of the. invention. is to provide such an apparatus which is ofimproved character, simplified in construction and o'newhich is designedparticularly toefiectflthe final conveying action by lowering thearticles to be transferred vertically downwardly to any one 'of aplurality of desired positions.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved conveyer ortransfer device which is particularly designed to convey metal particlessuch as so-c'alledtin cans which may be filled with vegetables, fruit orthe like,-or may be empty and to stack them into a receptaclei Otherobjects" of-the. invention will appear hereinafter, the novel features,and combination being set forth in the appendedclaims. I

In the accompanying drawings, v

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the device of my invention; i

Fig. 2 is a planview thereof; V

Fig. 3 is a side view of the device; H Fig. 4 is an enlarged schematicview in which the framestructure and certain other partshave beeneliminated, the view showing the principal functional parts involved inefiecting the transfer of materialf 3 I Figs. 5 and 6are'enla'rg'd'v'iewsshowing a portion of'one of the chainfcables and theend of the connecting cross shaft;'- 7 r Fig."'7' is an enlarged.dtailedviefw hqwing particularly "the structure of the, wheels anddrivemechanism therefor; and V N Fig. 8 is somewhat'of adia'grammaticplan view of the mechanism for assembling thecans prior to theirtransfer. I f a This invention is'illustrated'in its preferredembodiment as being employed to transfer socalled tin cans which are.filled 'withsoup, vegetables, fruit or the like, the transfer beingeffected'from' a discharge'flor' transferfs'tationi to a receptacle,which receptacle is adaptedto de-.

livered to an oven. or bathfor the processing of' the soup, vegetables,j or fruit inthe cans. .It is obvious, however; thatin certain broaderaspects of the invention it is by no means limited to the solution ofthisparticular problem;

lnFig. 8 of 'the'drawings, there is illustrated conveyer mechanismwhichlis in common use today which gathers a predetermined number ofcans e f-predetermined size and which 1111 aci'rcle of fixed diameter,this being the exact number of cans required to make up one tier orlayer of cans to be delivered to a container or receptacle in which thecans are heat processed. The mechanism of Fig. 8, which is alsoillustrated in Fig. 4

of the drawings, includes a table III which is provided with a rotaryplate I I surrounded by a cylindrical guide wall I2 which has a feedopening l3 into which cans M are fed over a portion of the table [0 bymeans of a, belt conveyer [5. As previously stated, this construction isknown in the art and it is merely illustrative of one arrangement forgathering a group of cans into a uniform arrangement.

The problem which was solved by this invention, particularly inconnection with these cans, was that of transferring the cans I4, whichhave been assembled in a group as above mentioned at a discharge ortransfer station, to any one of a plurality of elevations, layers ortiers at a receiving station or within a receiving receptacle l6 (seeFig. 4) which, for example, may be perforated so that they may besubmerged in a tank of hot water to process the food in said cans M. Itis obvious that since the receptacle l6 has sufficient depth to receivea plurality of layers, stacks or tiers M, which layers are in verticalalignment one above the other,-the final delivery of the cans as a groupmust be by vertically downward travel to any one of a plurality oflevels or positions.

In the operation of the device, the cans M are assembled on therevolving plate ll until said revolving plate is completely covered or,in other words, so that each laye'r'of cans as it is ultimatelydelivered to the receptacle I6 will be filled solid.

Turning now to a consideration of the details of the conveyer ortransfer device, it includes a main frame I! built up of structuralmembers. Mounted in appropriate journal hearings on opposite sides ofsaid main frame is a horizontal drive shaft 18 which is driven from anelectric motor l9 through a speed reducing mechanism 20. Near theopposite ends inside the main rame H the shaft l8 carries spaced piniongears 2| and 22 which are keyed to the shaft l8. Gear 2| meshes with anddrives a large gear 23 and gear 22 meshes with and drives a large gear24. Gears 23 and 24 are connected to large sprockets or. wheels 25and'26, respectively, so that said sprocket wheels 25 and 26 are drivenby said gears 23 and 24, respectively. Gear 23 and sprocket wheel 25 aremounted on an inwardly extending horizontal stub shaft 21 and gear tionwhatever between them. The importance of this will be pointed outhereinafter.

Attention is now directed particularly to Fig. I

4 of the drawings and to an important struc,'

ture which it is to be understood is duplicated on each side of thesprocket wheels an'd 26, that in connection with sprocket wheel '26alone being described. Wrapped about a portion of the periphery of thesprocket wheelv 25 is-alfiexible'r vertically downwardly in a verticalplane tangent to the right hand periphery of said wheel 25.

This vertical plane passes through the receptacle l6 and is preferablylocated substantially on a diameter thereof. a

Extending between the chain cable 29 and the duplicate thereof,designated 3!, which is carried by the wheel-'25, isa cross rod 32 (seeFigs. 1, -2 and 5). Opposite ends of the cross rod 32 are attached tosaid chains 29 and 3!, as clearly illustrated inconnection with chain 29in Figs-5 and 6 of the" drawings. -At the cen-- ter of the crossrod 32there-is a flexible hanger chain 33 which at its bottom suspends orsupports a transfer or carrier member 34 which ispreferably in the formof an electro-magneti The electro-magnet is particularly I desirablewhere so-called tin cans or other metal objects are to be transferredsince it constitutes a very desirablemeans for picking up cans merely bythe energization thereof and the releasing of the cans merely by thede-energizatio-n thereof Ob-v viously, insome of its broader aspects,other types oftransfe'r' or carriendevicesrnay' be employed. v l V VConsidering Fig. 4 of the drawings for the momentfcertai importantcharacteristics of the device should be observed. 'Fir'st'of all it isto be noted that the discharge or transferposition on the table H) wherethejcans M are assemed m a pa t e up' a it e r'm a vertical plane whichis tangent to each of the wheels 25 and 25 on the left hand sidethereof, as viewed in Fig. lof the drawings. 'More specifically, theaxis of the lift chain 33, which incidentally could be merely a hang rodand is not necessarily flexible, passes through the center ofthe'revolving plate I l or, in other words, through the center o-fthemass of cans which are to be transferred. The axis of this suspensionchain is in a vertical plane tangent to the periphery of the wheels 25'and'26 on one side thereof.' Receptacle l6 is generally cylindrical inshape and it is so positioned, for example,by being carried on'a tra'ckjmounted truck 35, thatits upright axis lies in a vertical plane, whichis tangent to the wheels 2.5

r; mare re s d m h e n weis is.

and 26 on the other or right hand side thereof,

"as viewed in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

As best illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the axes of the transferstation or position at H and the receiving position or station asrepresented by receptacle [6 lie in the same vertical plane which is atright angles to the axis of rotation of the wheels 25 and 26 or, inother words, at right angles to the'ax'is of stub shafts 21 "and'28. Theimportance of these various relations of parts as well as othersspecifically mentioned will be understood from a consideration of theoperation 0f the apparatus.

First of all, the receiving revolving plate ll will 'be fedwith cans [4until the enclosure defined by the guide Walls I2 is completely full.The device will be operated by controlling the motor l9 so that theelectro-magnet 34 is resting on top of said group of cans. Magnet isthen energized either by automatic or'manual control andthus seizes eachof the cans l4, Motor I9 is then operated andwheels 25 and 26 arerotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 4. During thisoperation the path of the magnet 34 will be parallel to the path oftravel of the cross rod" '32 which, of course, will bethrough an arc ofa circle having the same diameter as the diameters of the wheels 25 and2 6. In other words, during the first part of'this travel the magnet 34and cans l4 will move substantially upward. This will be followed by acombination upward and lateral movement through an arc of a circle untilthe magnet 34 reaches the position designated Bin Fig. 4 of thedrawings. rotation of the wheels 25 and 26 will produce continuedlateral and downward movement of the magnet 34 and cans l4 until thesuspended chain 33 reaches the position substantially tangent to theright hand side of each'of said wheels 25 and 26. Obviously, due togravity, the'suspension chain "33 will always hang vertically. This isthe position which will be reached by the magnet 34 and designatedposition C. Thereafter as Wheels 25 and. 26 continue to rotate in aclockwise direction the movement of the magnet 34 and cans I4 will bevertically downward and this downward movement will be continued byrota-s tion of said wheels 25 and 26 until the cans l4 and, of course,the magnet 34 have "reached any one of the desiredvertical positions atany one of the desiredv heights or levels. I I

As illustrated" in'the drawings, there are five layers of cans l4'andinsuch a receptacle as illustrated at IE there will be five suchdischarge positions at which the cans 14 are released either.

automatically or manually' by de-energizing the magnet 34. It isimportant to note particularly the structure which provides for, th svertically downward movement along a singlelpath' or, in,

other words, to any one of a plurality or Superp d a igned s tions-fFirst of al topro i h r g men it is ne essarythat the cable or chainsZBand 3| be freeon the discharge side.

of the wheels '25. and 25 so that they can leave the Whe ls 5 a d 2B r.n other words; s th h free endsthereof can move upwardly and downwardlyalong vertical paths. In order. to in ure propel 111 35111111? 0f thelinks of chains 29 and SI with the teeth of the sprocket wheels 25 andZ6,'

each of said chains. and (it carries a counterweight on its freeendfthat forchain 29 being seen at 35, particularly in 4 of thedra'wings.

It also be mentioned that guides orlhp'uss Continued as illustrated at31 inF'igs; 2 and a ofthe draw-- jug m 'l u; 1.. :1.

In the absence ofthat "portion of thechain29 illustrated in Fig.4 of thedrawings between cross rod 32 and the weld 'or attachment between thechain 29 and the sprocketwheel 26 it would only be possible to transferthemagnet 34from the full line osition illustrated in Fig. 4 totheposition C. The amount of vertical drop-which is desired below theposition C of magnet 34 determinesthe length of cable or chain 3| whichis required between the point 32 and-the point to which it is to beanchored to the wheel 26."-It is tobe understood, of course', that asimilarrestriction applies to l the cable or chain 3 I For example, ifit is desired to lower themagnet 34 twozfeet'vertically from-theposition C, which can be-considered as the position where the verticalaxis of the magnet 341s first in-the verticalplane tangent withthe'wheels '25 and '26, it is necessary to add vtwo feet to chains 29and 3| measured from'the point indicated at u32 or,- in other-words,.the place where the cross bar 32 is attached to said chains, thedistance then'being measured to the point of anchorage of said chains 29and 3| to the associated wheels 25 and- 26. Asaconsequenceof thisadditional chain or cable which iswrapped about the wheels 25-and 26beyond the points or-connections 32 in'counter-clockwise"direction, asviewed in Fig. 4, as wheels '25 and 26 continue to rotate after themagnet 34is in theposition C, it is evident that the cross bar 32 willmove vertically downward in a vertical plane-tangent to the peripheriesof wheels 25 and on the right hand side, since therchains 29and 3| arefree-'to unwrap themselves from the. sprockets 25 and 26 and ddsobecause of the action of gravity on the free ends thereof andtheirassociated counterweights 36.- Asla consequence, .the cans :I4 arelowered by rectilinear motion to any desired level or elevation int-hereceptacle I6 and discharged by dc-energization of electro-magnet 34;With the 'ca'ns ll thus tranferred from the loading or transferposition.- at II to 'the receiving position: withinreceptaclej-or'contairier I6,-"the'motor-'-1I3 is reversed and thewheelsr25 and 26 rotateda-in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed.incFig. 4'

of the drawings; The magnet 34 will reverse its path of travel and pickup another group of associated cans I4 to repeat the operationultimately to discharge each group of cans on top of all subsequentgroups in the container I6 until the container I6 is filled to the top,whereupon a new container will be run into position and the operationcarried on continuously.

It is also significant to note that as the magnet 34 moves from itsloading position to its discharge position and vice versa it is able ineffect to jump over the drive shaft I6 and to carry the cans I4thereover. This is possible by virtue of the arcuate path of traveltaken by the magnet 34 and cans I4 which starts out with practically apure vertical movement, is followed by a lateral movement having avertically upward component, then by lateral movement having avertically downward component and finally by a pure vertical downwardmovement.

The provision of the stub shafts 21 and 28 provides for the free lateralmovement of the hanger chain 33 to opposite sides of the axis of saidstub shafts 21 and 28. In other words, there is a free path between thewheels 25 and 26 to opposite sides ofthe axis of rotation thereof.

While in the drawings I have illustrated the said wheel and attachedthereto at one end with "Obviously-those skilled in s-the art may make"various .changes in the details and arrangement of partsrwithoutdeparting from the spirit and .scopeof: the invention as defined by theclaims heretoappended and I wishtherefore not to .be restricted tothe-precise construction hereindisclosed ..=..1.Ti. I -Having .thusdescribed and shown an embodiment of my inventio'n what I desire tosecure by letters Patent of the United States is: v .7 1. Atransferorconveyer'mechanism for transferring a groupof-articles from onepositionto another posi'tion horizontallyremoved therefrom and at adifferent and variable elevation including means forsupporting' agroupof articles, a flexible chain cable, a rotary wheel about which saidcable iswrapped and attached, a suspension -me'mber connected to saidcable intermediate its ends and suspending said supporting means, andmeans for rotating said wheelwhereby said supporting means is liftedfrom said one-position and trans ferred to the other andloweredbystraight line movement. an amount which may be varied after thefulllateral'transferthereof has been efiected by. :rotationofsaid wheel. g s-2.. Atransfer or conveyer mechanism for transferring. a group ofarticles from one position-to another-position horizontally removedtherefrom and atJadifierent and variable elevation including. means forsupporting a ,group of articles, a flexible cable, a rotary wheel aboutwhich said cable ;.is. wrapped and attached, a suspension member:connected to said cable intermediate: its endsiand suspendingsaidsupporting means, and meansfor rotating said wheel whereby. saidsupportingmeansiis lifted from said one position and,transferred towtheother and lowered by straight line movement an amount which may bevariedafter the full lateral .transfer thereof has beenefiectedxbyirotation of saidwheel. l 3. .A.transferideviceincludingareceiving station, anda'dischargestation, a wheel mounted: on ahorizontal axis with its periphery on one side lying in a vertical planeabove said receiving station and its periphery on the opposite sidelying in a vertical plane above said discharge station, a flexible cablewrapped at least part way around the other end free of said wheelwhereby said free end can move vertically upwardly and downwardly assaid wheel rotates, and material supporting means attached to said cableintermediate its ends and hangingptherefrom.

4. A transfer device including a wheel, a flexible chain cable wrappedabout said wheel, means attaching one end of said cable to said wheel,the other end being free to move upwardly and downwardly, and materialsupporting means attached to said cable intermediate its ends.

5. A transfer device including a wheel, a flexible cable wrapped aboutsaid wheel, means attaching one end of said cable to said wheel, theother end being free to move upwardly and downwardly, and materialsupporting means attached to said cable intermediate its ends.

6. A conveyor mechanism adapted to lift a group of cans upwardly from atransfer station andythen transfer them laterally andfinally. to lowerthem vertically to variable levels at a re: ccivingstation, saidmechanism including wheel means mounted for rotation on a horizontalaxis, thcperiphery of saidwheel means on onerside beingin a verticalp1anepassingthrough said transfer station and the periphery on the otherside being in averticalplano passingthrough saidmeceiving station,flexible cable ,mea-ns wrappcd'about said. wheel means and. attachedthereto at one end while the other end is free to wind off saidwheelmeans, means for supportdownward a distance which maybe varied bythe amount of rotary movement of said wheel means.

. 7..-A conveyor mechanism adapted to lift material upwardly from atransfer station and then transfer it laterally and finally, tolower itvertic-ally to variable levels at a receiving station, said mechanismincluding wheel means mounted for rotation on a horizontal axis, theperiphery of said wheel means on'one side being in a vertical planepassing through said transfer station and the periphery onthe other sidebeing in a vertical plane passing through said receiving station,flexible cable means wrapped about said wheel means and attached theretoat one end whilethe other end is free to wind off said wheel means,means for supporting said material including means suspending it fromsaid cable means intermediatethe ends thereof, and means for oscillatingsaid wheel means to effect the above described transfer, the path ofsaid mate:

' rial from said transfer station vto said receiving station. beingsfirst upwardly substantially vertically, then laterally and verticallytogether, the vertical component being first upward'an-d then downward,and finally vertically downward a dis-- tance which maybe varied .by thamount of rotary movementof said wheel means.

:8; A conveyor for conveying metal devices including a wheel, a cable.wrapped about said both of said wheels from said shaft, a flexible.chain cable mounted on each wheel and attached thereto at one endwhilethe other end freely drops vertically downwardly from one, side ofthe 7,

associated wheel, a cross rodattached at oppo site ends to said cablesat positions intermediate theends thereof, a material support includingl electro-ma net suspended from said cross'rod,

, said conveyor operating in response to rotation of said wheel throughless than a whol revo: lution first to lift said material supportupward.- ly, then by a combined vertical and lateral movement to swin itbetween said two wheels and over said horizontal shaft, thenlower itfinally by vertically downward movement only to any one of a pluralityof Vertically aligned positions at different heights and into areceptacle.

10. A transfer eonveyer including a frame, a horizontal shaft mounted torotate on said frame, motor means for rotating said shaft, a pair oflaterally spaced wheels mounted on stub'axles located above said shaft,means driving both said wheels from said shaft, a flexible cable mountedon each wheel and attached thereto at one end while the other end freelydrops vertically down:

, wardly from one side of theassociated'wheel, a

Cross rod attached at opposite ends to said cables at positionsintermediate theends thereof, a material, support suspended from saidcross rod, said conveyer operating in response to rotation of saidwheels through less than a whole revolution first to lift said materialsupport upwardly, then by a. combined vertical and lateral move ment toswing it. between said two wheels and over-said horizontal shaft, thenlower irons-11y by vertically downward movement'only to any one of aplurality of vertically aligned positions at different heights. u A vDANIEL KNIES.-

